Republicans Abroad Korea

RAK meeting on May 25

Republicans Abroad will have its next meeting on Sunday, May 25 at 2:00.  It will be in the lobby coffee shop at the Millennium Seoul Hilton near Seoul Station.  The hotel is a 10-minute walk up the hill from Seoul Station.  It is a 10-minute taxi ride from Itaewon or City Hall (depending on traffic).

Among other things:

• Prepare for our June-September voter registration drive
• Work on how we can help elect John McCain
• Select RAK leaders for 2008

Here is a (not very good) map:

Click on the image for a larger map. 

You can also find Hilton on this map and print it.  Here are some instructions for the my fellow computer semi-literates: 

• It is centered on City Hall. 
• Right click twice on the map (reduce).  You will see Seoul Station on the bottom of the map, near the center. 
• Center the map on Seoul Station.  After you have centered Seoul Station, you will also see the Hilton.
• Left click twice on the map (enlarge) and re-center the map
• Now it is ready for printing.

See you there.

RAK Meeting on March 30

Republicans Abroad will have its next meeting on Sunday, March 30 at 2:00.  It will be in the lobby coffee shop at the Millennium Seoul Hilton near Seoul Station.  The hotel is a 10-minute walk up the hill from Seoul Station.  It is a 10-minute taxi ride from Itaewon or City Hall (depending on traffic).

Among other things:

• Chairman John Lee will report on the RA International meeting last February.
• We will choose a new excutive director.
• We will start planning 2008 election activities.

Here is a (not very good) map:

Click on the image for a larger map. 

You can also find Hilton on this map and print it.  Here are some instructions for the my fellow computer semi-literates: 

• It is centered on City Hall. 
• Right click twice on the map (reduce).  You will see Seoul Station on the bottom of the map, near the center. 
• Center the map on Seoul Station.  After you have centered Seoul Station, you will also see the Hilton.
• Left click twice on the map (enlarge) and re-center the map
• Now it is ready for printing.

See you there.

RAK Super Tuesday lunch

Taking advantage of the Lunar New Year holiday some Republicans Abroad Korea members gathered at the VFW Canteen in Seoul last Wednesday to watch the Super Tuesday results (Korea being 14-17 hours ahead of most of the USA).

Turnout was a little disappointing, although expected since many of us were with family or were traveling that day.  We had nine people come out, including one Democrat and one independent.

There were also a couple members of the media.  I haven't found any articles that mentioned us but I did see some pictures over at Getty Images.  I don't think I will get in trouble for posting one:

• 
• Republicans Abroad members at the VFW Canteen in Seoul.

Here is another picture including Kurt Mohay.  Someone from the Chosun Ilbo was there as well.

Thanks for the folks at the VFW for allowing us to have the non-partisan event at their canteen.

RAK "Super Tuesday" vote watching lunch this Wednesday

RAK members and interested members of the general public are invited to join us for a Super Tuesday vote-watching lunch

• Time:  Wednesday, February 6 from 11:00 to 3:00
• Place VFW Canteen, near Yongsan Garrison in Seoul (10-15 minutes from Noksapyeong Station)

Here are a couple of maps to the Canteen (mislabeled "Lodge," the VFW has "posts").

Area map from Noksapyeong:

Detailed map:

Directions:  Take the #6 (Brown) line to Noksapyeong Station.  Exit through exit #2.  Walk strait from the exit (with wall on your left and road on your right) for 6-8 minutes.  When you come to a stop light and a cross walk, take the small road that forks to the left (see detailed map).  Walk 5-7 minutes.  You will see it on your left.  It is in the basement.  Look for 2 Blue & Yellow signs in front of bldg, one says “VFW Canteen”  It is in the basement.

If you are driving, go North from Noksapyeong Station, turn left at the first stop light and look for parking.  The maps are 16 months old, so the parking lot marked on the detailed map might be gone.

Pleae be there by 11:30 if you want to order lunch (it has to be delivered).

Republican presidential campaign links

It is time to get the old RAK blog out of mothballs.  Here are some links to the major presidential campaigns:

Button images came from Dr Don's Buttons, which copied the images from the campaigns.  I might make a purchase from them for Republicans Abroad once we settle on a candidate.

BTW, I noticed that the results of the straw poll taken at the last RAK Thanksgiving dinner have been reported at Paul's campaign homepage.

RAK Thanksgiving Dinner

Republicans Abroad-Korea had its third annual Thanksgiving dinner on Saturday, November 17th.

About 35 people were on hand this year (a slight increase from about 30 last year and roughly 25 in 2005).   We all had a good time and enjoyed a real American feast together, despite being half-a-world away from our homeland.

Our guest speaker this year was Lee Dong-bok, a professor, fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and former National Assemblyman.  He gave an interested message on US-Korean relations and the aftermath of the resent summit between Kim Jong-il and Roh Moo-hyun.

Thanks go to Bob Gilbert for procuring the food, George Geddes for organizing the dinner and RAK Chairman John Lee for getting our guest speaker.  Special thanks go to Michael Maddox and his staff at the USO canteen for their assistance in making this year's dinner a success.

We conducted a straw poll at the end of the dinner.  Added by a contingent from the Seoul Ron Paul meetup group, the Texas Congressman won handily.  The results:

• Ron Paul - 13
• Rudy Giuliani - 6
• John McCain - 4
• Mike Huckabee - 1
• Mitt Romney - 1
• Fred Thompson - 0
• other - 1

McCain also got one vote from one of our non-American guests.  Asside from our normal Korean guests, this year's dinner also had guests from Canada, Mongolia and New Zealand.

Pictures:

  Kurt Mohay (white shirt) enjoys dinner.

  Republicans Abroad-Korea Chairman John Lee with guest speaker Lee Dong-bok.

  Guest speaker Lee Dong-bok.  Adelia Jackson is sleeping in her stroller on left side of the picture.

Annual Republicans Abroad Thanksgiving Dinner - November 17

Republicans Abroad-Korea will host its annual Thanksgiving dinner on Saturday, November 17 from 5:00 to 7:30. 

It will be at the USO building next to Yongan Garrison (near Itaewon).

We plan to serve two turkey dinners and one ham dinner, along with sides and deserts (mostly pies).  You may also bring something to share with other guests.  The charge is $20 per person (children free).

For questions or to RSVP, email Andy Jackson at andyinrok@lycos.com.

Here are diections (via  Seoul USO homepage:

By Metro:  We are located at the Samgakji Metro Station (blue or brown line).  Go out Exit 10 and walk north one block (towards Seoul Station).

By Car from Itaewon:  Pass Noksapyeong Metro Station towards the War Memorial and Samgakji Metro Station.  After passing the War Memorial and at Samgakji intersection, curve right (in the direction of Seoul Station).  The USO is located about two blocks from this intersection on the left hand side of the street.  Proceed to the stoplight immediately past USO and U-turn to arrive at the USO.

From Yongsan Base:  USO is located across the street from and one block north of Gate 1.

See you there.

RAK meeting on Sunday, September 9

Republicans Abroad will have its next meeting on Sunday, September 9 at 2:00.  It will be in the lobby coffee shop at the Millennium Seoul Hilton near Seoul Station.  The hotel is a 10-minute walk up the hill from Seoul Station.  It is a 10-minute taxi ride from Itaewon or City Hall (depending on traffic). 

Here is a (not very good) map:

Click on the image for a larger map. 

You can also find Hilton on this map and print it.  Here are some instructions for the my fellow computer semi-literates: 

• It is centered on City Hall. 
• Right click twice on the map (reduce).  You will see Seoul Station on the bottom of the map, near the center. 
• Center the map on Seoul Station.  After you have centered Seoul Station, you will also see the Hilton.
• Left click twice on the map (enlarge) and re-center the map
• Now it is ready for printing.

See you there.

RAK leadership change

As of Sunday, April 22 I (Andy Jackson) am no longer Executive Director of Republicans Abroad-Korea.  I stepped down during last Sunday's regular meeting.

I plan to do some writing on the Korean presidential election and I do not want to give the appearance that RAK is doing anything to try to influence Korean politics.  We are strictly an American service organization.

I will still be a member of RAK and will maintain this blog until someone can create a better online presence.

A replacement executive director as not yet been named.

RAK meeting: Sunday, April 22

Republicans Abroad will have its next meeting on Sunday, April 22 at 2:00.  It will be in the lobby coffee shop at the Millennium Seoul Hilton near Seoul Station.  The hotel is a 10-minute walk up the hill from Seoul Station.  It is a 10-minute taxi ride from Itaewon or City Hall (depending on traffic). 

Here is a (not very good) map:

Click on the image for a larger map. 

You can also find Hilton on this map and print it.  Here are some instructions for the my fellow computer semi-literates: 

• It is centered on City Hall. 
• Right click twice on the map (reduce).  You will see Seoul Station on the bottom of the map, near the center. 
• Center the map on Seoul Station.  After you have centered Seoul Station, you will also see the Hilton.
• Left click twice on the map (enlarge) and re-center the map
• Now it is ready for printing.

See you there.